Thanks to the efforts of the Antigua & Barbuda Search and Rescue (ABSAR), the two kite-surfers and their colleagues, whose names have not been released, are now safe at home after spending hours adrift at sea. The group comprised an Antiguan, a Canadian, and two nationals of the United States of America.

Director of ABSAR Jonathan Cornelius told OBSERVER media that the rescue party located the men around 1 am on Saturday after ABSAR received a call from International SOS Centre, which alerted them that a personal emergency beacon had been activated 40 miles north-north west of Antigua.

“We knew there was a guy who was doing endurance kite surfing and I knew he was carrying one of those, and we confirmed it was him,” Cornelius said.

He said they found the four men in a life raft with a capsized vessel beside it. After the seafarers were safely onboard the ABSAR vessel, the team made its way back to Antigua, and arrived at Falmouth Harbour at 4:30 am.